Thomas watebhouse



MPFERS, PHOTD-UTHOSRAPHER. WASHINGTON. D. C,

THOMAS WATERHOUSE, 0E WEST GORHAM, AND CHARLES E.. MCKEN- NEY, 0E SACO, MAINE.

Letters Patent No. 98,323, dated December '28, 1869.

IMPRGVEMENT IN HORSESHOE.

To all whom it may concern: L

Be it known that we, THOMAS `WMERHOUSE, of West Gorham, in the county ot Cumberland, and State of Maine, and CHARLES F. MCKENNY, of Saco, in the county oi' York, and State ot' Maine, havev in- -vented a new and use't'nl Improved Horseshoe; and we hereby declare the following to be a fulLcleanand exact description thereof, .which will enable others to make Aand use our invention, reference beingl had to the accom panyiug drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- A shows a bottom view of a horseshoe, with our improvement attached thereto.

B shows a transverse sectional view of the same.

Same letters show like parts.

Our invention is intended to obviate the liability to accdent'to'wbich horses are exposed when driven, in the winter, over roads covered with snow, which freque11tly aceurnulatesin the liollows of the horses feet, soas to produce large balls or bunches of hardened or packed snow, filling the space between the walls of' the hooi`, and projecting belowthe bottom ofthe hoof and shoe, rendering the animal much more liable to slip and fall, 85o., and also having atendency 4to produce lamcness,vby its pressure uponthe interior parts, or frog and sole of the hoof.

In addition to these, there are other dangers arising from balling up, as itis termed, which it is unnecessary to fully explain, but which are familiar. to those accustomed to the use of horses.

A device has'already been invented to prevent the accumulation of snow in the interior of horses boots, consisting ot'a piece or sheet of rubber, placed loosely between the shoe and the bottom of the hoof, butin practice this has been found to be imperfect in its operation, as, from the' elasticity of the substance employed, and its place between the hoof and the shoe, the motion ofthe animal tends yto loosen, and ultimately to work ont thegnails which attach the shoe to the walls ot' the hoot'. Our inventitn is intended'to "oe applied so as-to obviate this objection.

Its construction and application is as follows:A

In an ordinary horseshoe, a channel or groove is cut out all around the inner edge thereof', to a suiiicient depth. Into this groove is ntted a sheet of rubher, or any astio substance,.occupying theentire space-between the sides of the shoe, and covering and protecting the interior hollow part ofthe hoof, Upon. this sheet of rubber we place a strip, flange, or guard ot' metal, to cover that part of the elastic substance occupying the groove. This strip or flange serves to secure the elastic substance, and hold it in its proper place, and is secured, by screws or` other means, to* the body of the shoe below'the groove, the screws,

&c., passing through the rubber and into the steel ot' the shoe.

This device eiectually prevents balling, and thus enables a horse to travel in deep, loose snow with much more ease and with less liability to accident.

Should the elastic subst-ance be torn or broken by any means, or worn out by use, it can be readily removed, by taking out`the screws which hold thestrip or iiange of metal to the body of the shoe, when the same may be taken oit, the elastic substance taken out, a new piece introduced, and the met-al strip again screwed down, and it is evident lall this may be accomplished without removing the shoe frorn the hoot'.

In the accompanying drawings- Ia shows the position of the groove.

b shows the" elastic substance.

c, the strip of metal confining it.-

d, the screws thereiin What we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The arrangement, on a horseshoe, ot' the groove a, metallic strip o,- screws d, and elastic sheet b, secured as described, and for the purposes set forth.

THOMAS VVATERHOUSE.

'CHARLES F. .MCKENNEY.

Witnesses: e

WM. H. CLIFFORD, HENRY C. HOUSTON. 

